Changing ownership of any vehicle requires a
transfer of title in California. To transfer a title:

Seller must complete the appropriate sections on the title..

Vehicle must pass a smog check, unless exempt.

Buyer must provide the ownership documents to the CA DMV.

Buyer visits the local DMV office.

Buyer pays the $15 vehicle title transfer fee and taxes within 30 days.

For more details, please continue reading.

Buying a California Vehicle

Buying From a Dealer

Car dealerships take care of all the fees and paperwork required when purchasing a vehicle. As the buyer of the vehicle, it is your responsibility to know your
Car Buyer's Bill of Rights and make sure the contract, purchase price, and additional costs are all correct before you take the vehicle home.

Selling a Vehicle

Fill out the odometer reading if the vehicle is less than 10 years old (must be verified by the buyer), If there is no space for the odometer reading on the title you will need to complete and submit a Vehicle/Vessel Title Transfer Form (REG 262) (this form is printed on security paper and is only available at CA DMV offices, or by calling (800) 777-0133.

Provide smog check certification, if applicable. The certification must be current; it cannot be older than 90 days.

Bill of Sale

If you don't need to verify the odometer reading during the sale of the vehicle, use a
Bill of Sale (REG 135) instead of the Vehicle Vessel TransferForm (REG 262). After completing, give the original to the buyer and make a copy for yourself.

If, however, if you are required to
report the mileage, you must complete the
Vehicle Vessel Transfer Form (REG 262) if the title does not provide a place to report it. This serves as an odometer disclosure form, bill of sale, and power of attorney. This form cannot be downloaded. You can get it from any CA DMV office. Or, have the form mailed to you by calling (800) 777-0133.

Transferring a Vehicle as a Gift

You may decide to give your vehicle away instead of selling it. These types of gifts fall into two different categories:

Family or Inheritance

Gifts or Donations

The transfer process is very similar to selling a California vehicle (see above), with minor differences for each process.

NOTE: You cannot transfer a vehicle to a family member or trust until you've paid all parking/toll violations that have been reported to the California DMV.

Family or Inheritance

You can transfer your vehicle to family members without providing a
smog test or paying the use tax. Family members who qualify (including step, half, and adopted family members) are:

Parents

Children

Grandparents

Grandchildren

Spouses

Siblings (smog certification may be required if a smog test is due)

Domestic partners

All other family members must follow the steps outlined in the Gifts or Donations section below.

To transfer the title to a family member:

Provide the title of the vehicle, making sure to sign it (if you don't have the title, apply for a duplicate title).

Have the lienholder, if applicable, sign off on the title. This allows the sale of the vehicle.

Complete the odometer reading if the vehicle is less than 10 years old (must be verified by the buyer). If there is no space for the odometer reading, complete a and submit a Vehicle/Vessel Transfer (REG 262). This form is unavailable online. Grab it from any CA DMV office, or call (800) 777-0133 to have it mailed to you.

Have the buyer, which in this case is the recipient of the vehicle, sign the title.

Gift or Donation

To make a gift or donation, follow the same steps described directly above when transferring to a family member. The lone difference being you may need to provide smog certification. The certification must be current, no older than
90 days.

Depending on the organization, you may be eligible for a tax exemption for the value of the vehicle. Ask the charitable organization for documentation of the donation.

Receiving a Vehicle as a Gift

Whenever you receive a vehicle from a family member, both the use tax and the smog test can be waived. See the Family or Inheritance section (above) for a list of family members who are eligible for family transfers.

If you are not a family member, you can still receive a vehicle as a gift and have the use tax waived. You will, however, still need to get a smog certification.

Receiving a Vehicle from a Family Member

When receiving a vehicle from a family member:

Make sure the seller (the person giving you the vehicle) has filled out the title properly.

Verify there is no lienholder, or that the lienholder has signed off on the title.

Sign the title.

Verify the mileage and the odometer disclosure statement, if applicable.

Complete a smog check, if applicable. In some instances, adult siblings transferring a vehicle may be required to complete an emissions certification.